Absalom the King

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Synopsis

This play tackles the fascinating story of the Biblical Absalom, son of King David, in a smart, clear way with beautifully written dialogue that is consistent and doesn't falter into contemporary language. The curtain rises right in the middle of the action, diving right into the story with a horrible rape and murder. This brings the audience right into the action immediately and is well done...love the way Joab instills the right thing to do in David, then allows him the space to make that decision feel like his own, advising but not undermining his king... You've done wonders with this draft. One of the strongest changes has been the pairing of Absalom and Ahisthophel against the mirror of David and Joab - the royal men and their advisors make a powerful linchpin to hold the whole story together... The play also follows the original story events nicely, showing the events that led up to Absalom's death. The final scenes ae entirely masterful - Tamar's deep and abiding sorrow, Davd's regrets and Joab's sage advice.

Overall, this is an intelligent play that showcases attention to detail, beautifully written language and the exploration of a well-known story."